§ Mr. Roebuckasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that in certain employment men and women have equal pay, but that men qualify for sick pay after a year's service while women must wait five years to qualify; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards such an arrangement.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsNo. My right hon. Friend is not aware of the employ-70W ment which my hon. Friend has in mind. The Government have encouraged the extension of occupational sick pay schemes. Sample inquiries made in 1961 showed that 92 per cent. of the men and 90 per cent. of the insured women covered by such schemes were subject to qualifying periods of one year or less. I would deplore discrimination of the sort my hon. Friend has quoted.